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Jesus revealed that there was only 1 unforgivable sin.. Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.. This was revealed in the following scriptures:: Mark 3: KJV "22"¶ And the scribes which came down from Jerusalem said, He hath Beelzebub, and by the prince of the devils casteth he out devils. {23} And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? {24} And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. {25} And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. {26} And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. {27} No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. {28} Verily I say unto you, All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: {29} But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation: {30} Because they said, He hath an unclean spirit." Therefore the sin of homosexuality must be a forgivable sin for the one who has believed Jesus and trusts in the Atonement Jesus secured for their salvation..

Hi LadyKay, `to keep silence,` - Gk. word `sigao` meaning to hold peace. These women were not to be a disturbance or to lord it over the men, (which women can tend to do). On the other hand the Apostle Peter says that men are NOT to lord it over others. (1 Peter 5: 3) We tend to read into God`s word a control and power hierarchy for that is what is happening in the public meetings, (so called `church) today. In a public meeting and denomination, because it is business, then accountability to the government is required. However in the Body of Christ, as we gather in small groups, as was in the early days, men and women mentor others and guide the young believers in their walk with the Lord. (Rom. 16: 1 - 16) The Body of Christ is not `a business,` but a living organism. Leadership is always undergirding and never controlling. Marilyn.

Why does God need me to pray, for what, who, and how? God wants me to let Him awaken and open the ears of my heart so that I can hear God’s Spirit speak to me through His word. Isa 50:4 The Lord GOD…awakens my ear to hear as the learned (His disciple). Rev 2:7 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says… Have you chased down a truth in the Bible recently, with your heart? Let’s do that today, let’s chase down the truth of why God needs prayer, and then what He tells us about the way we must pray so that we overcome the certain opposition to Him bringing the answer. Prov 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter (from our natural intelligence**,** so as not to favor the smartest) But the glory of kings (all Christians are spiritual kings in Christ - Rev.1:6) is to search out a matter (with our hearts). Matt 11:25 (Jesus) Father, You have hidden these things from the (humanly) wise NASU and intelligent and have revealed them to (the hearts of spiritual) infants. Why pray at all, won’t God’s will be done anyway? No it won’t. God says that Satan rules this world and that He (God) doesn’t: 1 John 5:19 …The whole world lies under the sway (the influence) of the wicked one. Matt 4:8-9 The devil...showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world...“All this I will give NIV you" he said "if you will bow down and worship me" (Jesus didn’t disagree). Now Jesus Christ defeated Satan at Calvary and tells us His people, the Church, “I have given into your hand the spiritual land currently occupied by Satan. But the Church, while abiding in Me, is going to have to take that land back and bring it into God’s Kingdom”. Does this command by God sound familiar? It is the identical command that God made previously to His people Israel, under the first Covenant, but this time it is a spiritual land. Num 13:2 (God)...The land of Canaan, which I am giving to the children of Israel... Matt 28:18-19 (Jesus to us) "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations...” Satan acquired his dominion over the world legitimately when Adam and Eve bowed their knee to him and surrendered the dominion God had given them, to him. Therefore our righteous God and Father is constrained now to work through the only legitimate agents He has who have authority on earth in Satan’s kingdom, that is us His true Church. Eph 3:10 To the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, This is why bible teacher and author, Andrew Murray said “God has made the extension of His Kingdom (on earth) dependent on the faithfulness of His people in prayer”. In the Lord’s prayer Jesus lists the essential things we need to pray for each day: For the bread of His word to feed our spirits; For the leading of His Spirit; For deliverance from Satan; For God to forgive our sins as we forgive others; and for God’s kingdom to expand and His will to be done on earth as it is Heaven. By telling us to pray these things, Jesus makes clear that if we don’t pray, these things won’t be done. For God needs our prayers! Matt 6:10 Pray...Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. The parable of the “persistent friend”, the key to Christ’s teaching on how we must pray: Immediately after telling us what we must pray for in the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus recites the parable of the “persistent friend” in which He teaches us the way He wants us to pray. The parable ends with God exhorting us to seek and ask Him in prayer on everything, but only the way this parable teaches; And specifically to ask Him for the Holy Spirit this same way: Luke 11:5-6 And He (Jesus) said to them, which of you (Christians, who love Me and always only do what I say - 1 Jo 2:5) shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight (having first prayed and knowing this to be My will – Eph 5:17) and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; (Notice this is not for himself but he seeks bread for another, so it’s intercession. It inconveniences him, its midnight, but he does it anyway). 7 And he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you' (But the persistent friend, having prayed God’s will, sticks with it and won’t give up on his intercession). 8-10 I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his boldfaced insistence (his importunity, his refusal to be denied) he will rise and give him as many as he needs. So I say to you, ask (in this same way), and it will be given to you; seek (and don’t give up), and you will find; knock (refusing to be denied), and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks (this way) receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11-13 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?…How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those (of His children) who ask Him (in this same way). Let’s not confuse God with the friend who first wouldn't meet the need but afterward did: God is nothing like the reluctant friend. God is simply using this parable to make the crucial point that prayer is likely to encounter some obstacles, of the kind that we will see in a minute, before the answer God has given actually shows up. Of course there will be obstacles, because the prayer is being made while we are still in Satan’s territory and he’s going to try and get the person praying to give up on the prayer. The question is, faced with obstacles, will the person praying persist in believing or not? Mark 11:24 (Jesus) ...Whatever things you ask when you pray believe that you receive them (right now, and don’t give up believing), and you will have them. Some of the possible obstacles a person praying may run into, that can result in doubt: A delay between the prayer and the manifestation of God’s answer. It often takes time for the key people and the circumstances to be brought to a place where the manifestation occurs. Or someone close and influential opposes the prayer or states it is unachievable. Dan 10:12,13 Angel speaking to Daniel, Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. NLT …the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia (the Devil) blocked my way. While waiting in faith for the manifestation, with circumstances visible to my natural eye not yet in accord with the prayer, dark thought clouds may arise to challenge the prayer. These will be strong thoughts that invade my thought life such as: You are not worthy enough to expect God to answer, this is not the will of God, this prayer is not working, others are not praying this way, you don’t have the faith; all seeking to get me to give up. When obstacles do confront me, at the first sign of a doubt thought I must go to God, who lives in my heart, to re-confirm His will and to strengthen my faith with more of His words. Matt 21:22 All things, whatever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive. Some key things this parable teaches that are not a valid basis for prayer being answered, The request of the friend in need initially met with failure. From this we can conclude that the following things while necessary, when obstacles are encountered, are in and of themselves not a valid basis to expect the manifestation of the answer to our prayer: Relationship - In the parable it is friendship, in Christianity it is sonship. A right relationship with God will not of itself enable me to overcome prayer’s guaranteed obstacles. Need - having a legitimate need doesn’t automatically defeat opposition to prayer. Simply asking or praying - A tentative asking in prayer, meaning it is unsure, a wishing and not believing prayer, will be easily overthrown by Satan. Jesus wants me to know by this parable that if I base my expectation of an answer to prayer on the wrong premise, when the first road block appears, and it will, I will abandon my prayer and give up quite possibly falsely assuming it wasn’t God’s will. And what God wanted me to have or wanted to bring to someone else, through me, now can’t happen. Rm 8:26,27 …the (Holy) Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us (and in us)… ESV …the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 1 Jo 5:14-15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. What does Jesus say is the only basis on which to expect an answer to prayer in His will? Importunity, meaning a confident, brazen, shameless insistence that the will of God must be done. A person praying this way clearly will have diligently sought, by God’s word and through God’s Spirit, the knowledge of God’s will on the matter, before praying. But once the heart of that person is locked on the knowledge of God’s will and prays accordingly, they then must absolutely refuse to be denied. Luke 18:1 (Jesus) …Men always ought to pray and not faint, lose heart or give up. Consider the key elements that result in successful prayer: A person made righteous by Christ whose prayer can be heard, the revealed knowledge of God’s will with respect to a specific need, the heart desire to pray and the inspiration for the right prayer, the unwavering faith to believe God for the answer and the answer itself, all come directly from God. This therefore is not me strong arming God to achieve my objectives but it is God using me to achieve His objectives and at the same time deny Satan’s objectives. Jam 5:16 … The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much - has great power and wonderful results TLB. After telling us here all that prayer can do, and why it’s necessary, God gives an example: Jam 5:17-18 Elijah was a man with a (human) nature like ours and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain... Elijah prayed that it wouldn’t rain. Then he prayed that it would rain. If we look at his second prayer we find that before he prayed God told him that He was going to send rain: I Kings 18:1 ...The word of the LORD came to Elijah...saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab; and I will send rain on the earth (couldn’t happen until Elijah prayed) So, Elijah prayed for something God had already told Him He was going to do; Then God uses this prayer as a blueprint for all prayer. God reveals His will but needs us to pray it into existence. Rm 4:16,17 So the promise (God’s will on a matter received in prayer) is received by faith… (and faith is certain that what God promised, will come to pass and,) calls into existence the things that do not exist. Should a persistent, believing prayer be repeated? No, not if it is in faith, just re-affirmed: When God tells me to ask and keep on asking Him for things, so that His will can be done He means that I should pray with importunity over one need. But before the manifestation of the answer comes, I must also pray with the same importunity over other needs too. Matt 6:7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do… The seeming exception to this are prayers prayed with respect to each individual day, such as the Lord’s Prayer. In this we repeatedly ask for the same things, His word, His Spirit, His deliverance, His forgiveness, His will and the expansion of His Kingdom, but they apply to that particular day. Each time it’s with importunity, so this is not repetitious. Jesus says prayers prayed with importunity will always succeed. Because these prayers lock onto God’s will and won’t let go. They overcome every obstacle and hindrance from Satan, for they are prayed in faith, overcoming faith, the faith of Jesus Christ active in the heart of us Christians. How do we get it? By hearing His words and yielding to His spirit: Ro 10:17 Faith comes by hearing...the word of God (we know and believe God’s will) 2 Co 4:13 We have the same Spirit of faith...we believe (what we are led to pray for). “Our praying, however, needs to be pressed and pursued with an energy that never tires, a persistency which will not be denied, and a courage which never fails.” — E. M. Bounds “Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things ‘above all that we ask or think.’” — Andrew Murray “God does nothing but by prayer, and everything with it.” — John Wesley “All prayer is to God, for men, and against Satan.” — Watchmen Nee

Greetings to all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, The topic here is "Defense of the Pre Trib Rapture". How does one defend the indefensible? You start by stating assumptions as fact. You use these assumptions to build a layered fortress through circular reasoning. This system of circular reasoning, in the minds of the errant, is used to twist even the most explicit of Biblical statements. That which is most plain and clear must mean something different than it obviously says or else the whole system, made up of what is thought to be orthodox truth, collapses. Some of these misunderstandings (I'm being charitable) which are thought to be orthodox are: 1) Imminence, Christ could come secretly at any moment to rapture His church. 2) The seventieth week is the period of God's wrath in the day of the Lord. 3) God has to rapture the church before he can deal with the Jews. 4) God uses the Beast as an instrument of His wrath upon the tribulation saints. 5) God's wrath begins with the opening of the first seal. 6) The 144,000 are Jewish evangelists who bring about the greatest revival in history. 7) The great tribulation is for the Jews, the church will not be present. And there are many more. These tenants of pretribulationism are all interdependent upon each other. The whole system is built upon misunderstandings and assumed inferences predicated upon those misunderstandings. If one falls, they all fall. But as we have heard concerning some corporations or organizations, "they are too big to fail." So like those, pretribulationism is propped up by denominational leaders and those teachers who would lose face were they to correct their teaching. Many of these, upon being exposed, instead of repenting, double down and go to greater lengths in the wresting of the Scriptures. They are forever finding new, so-called, references to a pre-trib rapture that they can publish in books to satisfy the itching ears of those who love to have it so. The latest of these is "the apostasia = the rapture" false teaching being promoted by House, Woods, Ice, and others. I will deal with each of these misunderstandings as I have time. The false teaching of Imminence Imminency is one of the pillars which holds up the Pre-trib model of eschatology. The so-called doctrine of imminency purports that the Bible teaches that a secret rapture could happen at any moment and that the condition has been such since the days of the Apostles. Many passages which communicate an air of expectancy are referenced in support of this teaching. However, this is just another of the false notions which support the Pre-trib rapture model. In investigation of this teaching let’s look at all the verses that are used to support the any moment return of Christ and ask of each of them the question: does this verse say that Christ could rapture His church at any moment? Let’s look at each of these supposed proofs for the doctrine of imminence. Before each passage of Scripture, I have written a short statement of what is communicated in it concerning the rapture and Christ’s coming. You will notice that not even one of these passages say that Jesus will return unexpectedly at “any moment.” Jesus says he will come again to receive His own to Himself Joh 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. All creation is waiting for the day the saints come into the fullness of their inheritance Rom 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1Co 1:7-8 So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. The living believer will be changed in an indivisible point of time at the last trump following the resurrection of the dead in Christ. 1Co 15:51-52 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. The Lord is coming 1Co 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha. Looking for our Saviour and our glorification Php 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. The Lord is near Php 4:5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. When He appears we shall appear with Him Col 3:4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. We are to wait for Jesus to rescue us from the coming wrath 1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come. For the believer to be in the Lord’s presence at His coming is Paul's ultimate reward 1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? Jesus is coming to take unto Himself both the dead and the living in Christ. Those alive shall be caught up together with the dead in Christ into the clouds to be forever with the Lord. 1Th 4:13-18 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. The believer whether living or dead is not appointed unto wrath but to be saved from it 1Th 5:9-10 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Paul prayed that the whole man would be blameless unto the Lord’s coming 1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ’s coming and our gathering to Him (the day of Christ) will not be at hand until the ap-os-tas-ee'-ah and revealing of the man of sin comes 2Th 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Paul tells Timothy to keep the commandment until Jesus appears 1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: Jesus will judge the living and dead at His appearing and His kingdom 2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Believers are to live right as they look for that blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ Tit 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. For many years, it has been taught that the blessed hope is the rapture/resurrection of the dead in Christ and that the glorious appearing is something altogether separate. But this is absolutely false. The rapture is an integral part of the Parousia (arrival and continuing presence) of Christ. There is only one future Parousia of Christ, His second coming. Jesus will save or rescue those who look for Him when He appears the second time Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Be patient waiting for the Lord’s coming, it is getting nearer Jas 5:7-9 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. Be rewarded at the revelation of Jesus by passing the test when your faith is tried 1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Peter says that the trial of our faith will be rewarded at Christ's appearing. The Greek word translated appearing in this passage is the same one from which we get the title of the book of Revelation in Rev. 1:1. It is the word (ap-ok-al'-oop-sis) which is a disclosure, revealing, or manifestation of something or someone. In this text, it is the revelation or appearing of Jesus Himself. The word is used to describe this event seven times in the New Testament. Paul speaks of this event using the same Greek word. It is here translated “revealed”. 2Th 1:7-10 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Notice that His revelation is when the saints will be able to rest from the tribulation they are experiencing. His revelation is when He comes in vengeance with the mighty angels. It is when He will be glorified in His saints (That is when the principalities and powers in heavenly places see the wisdom of God in the redemption of mankind [“his saints”] and the Eternal God is glorified [Eph. 3:10]. The redemption that brings God glory is complete at the first resurrection/rapture when the saints receive their immortal bodies [Luke 21:28, Rom. 8:23, Php. 3:21, 1 Cor. 15:51-52]). It really isn’t hard to see, that, again and again, the Scriptures tell us that the rapture/resurrection and the revelation/second coming are part of the singular return of Christ (parousia) and they happen at the same time. Be completely confident that at His revelation Jesus Christ will come with favour toward you 1Pe 1:13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; Peter says that it is at Christ’s revelation that we are to with confidence expect his favour, implying that we meet Him then. This is the revelation (ap-ok-al'-oop-sis) of Rev 1:7, 2Thes 1:7 and Matt 24:30. Have confidence and not shame before Christ at His coming and appearance by continuing in Him 1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming. John here clearly says that it is at His coming (parousia) that we, the church, stand before him. We will be like Christ when He appears 1Jn 3:1-2 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. Guard your love for God as you confidently await His mercy unto eternal life Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. Jesus tells the faithful in Thyatira to maintain their faithfulness till He comes Rev 2:25 But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. Because of their faithfulness, those of the church in Philadelphia will not experience the time of trial that will come upon the earth dwellers Rev 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. The texts that we have just looked at are the 26 prominent passages used to teach imminence, the any moment return of Jesus Christ to rapture His church. However, as it has been demonstrated, not a single one of them says that Jesus will appear at any moment to rapture away His church. In them we are told that He will at some future time gather His own unto Himself. We are also told that we should patiently wait for His return. But not a single one says to expect Him at any moment. Imminency is a false doctrine After honest investigation, it is clear that imminency is a false doctrine. In fact, the teaching of an “any moment” return of Christ is a subtle twisting of the true Bible doctrine of watchful expectancy for Christ’s return. Imminency as it is taught today by pre-tribbers, was developed and has become entrenched as an essential support for the pre-trib rapture model. As such it has found a place in the doctrinal statements of evangelical churches right alongside of the Deity of Christ and Christ's future literal, physical, premillennial coming. For roughly the past hundred and fifty years, many believers without any critical scriptural investigation have believed in the “any moment” return of Christ for His church. One single passage of Scripture is all it takes to expose this as a false teaching. Peter didn't preach imminency Jesus says to Peter in the forty days after His resurrection: Joh 21:18-19 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Jesus told Peter how he would die, saying that he would be an old man. That being true, it is certain that Peter could never have believed or taught that Jesus could come at any moment and rapture him away. Jesus spoke of Peter’s death, how he should glorify God. Peter would die as a martyr in his old age, he would not be among the living saints to be raptured. Extra-Biblical history tells us that both Peter and Paul died as martyrs in June of 67 AD. That passage alone should strike the death nail to the false doctrine of imminency. Yet there are many more scriptural observations which make it clear that the any moment rapture is unsupported by the Holy Scriptures. Paul didn't preach imminency It is also true that Paul didn’t believe or teach the any moment rapture either. At the time of Paul’s conversion, it was promised that he would bear Christ’s name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel and that he would suffer great things for Christ’s sake. Act 9:15-16 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. God also spoke through Agabus concerning Paul’s future. Act 21:11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles. Later the Lord told Paul that he would witness in Rome also. Act 23:11 And the night following the Lord stood by him, and said, Be of good cheer, Paul: for as thou hast testified of me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear witness also at Rome. Paul, when writing to Timothy, spoke of his soon departure from this life (his death as a martyr). 2Ti 4:6-8 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. All this being true, there is no way that Paul taught an “any moment” rapture. In fact, he taught exactly what Jesus did (Matt 24:9-10, many shall be offended), which is that there must first be a falling away (a notable departure from the faith) and that the antichrist would be revealed before the coming (parousia) and our gathering together unto Christ. 2Th 2:1-3 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Expectancy is not imminency The Bible teaches watchful expectance not an any moment rapture. Glory be to Jesus Christ

Hi maryjayne, I hear your cry. Yes for us it is soooo hard, but praise the Lord He will do it in us. Keep yielding at the various steps along the way and lo and behold you will find it does get easier as He is in us doing it through us. Each of these steps are over much time. First we learn to not let the `flesh` and its incessant call control us. Second we learn that our `self` life, our personality with its gifts and abilities like to run the show. After many a trial we learn not to go at our pace but to wait on the Lord as to what He would have us do or not do, speak or not speak. Finally we come to the inner life where the Lord in our spirit holds sway. People will know the difference and be drawn to the Lord, (not to us). An old classic `The Normal Christian Life,` by Watchman Nee, goes through these stages and explains the process very well. regards, Marilyn.

Nice to see that we are both are on the exact same wavelength.I think this is what “ work out your Salvation with fear and trembling” is talking about.It does not say to live your life this way.One just can’t be saved until it hits them that they are LOST—- headed for Hell and they have it coming.Sometimes one can just sense that something is missing in some that believe they are Christians.I believe this is it.Changing your mind is what repentance truly means—- not “ getting your act together, gritting your teeth and making up your mind to walk the straight and narrow.That is “ works” in the extreme.It is changing your mind about who you are—- not somebody who is “ good enough” but somebody who is a pure wretch in the eyes of God, a sick man who needs medicine.....the elixir that is The Blood Of Christ and that ONLY.My night of terror turned out to be the most valuable night of my life.I often wonder how many here have experienced what we have lived through .My guess? Not many.

Lack of belief. The first step is to realize The Bible, Genesis through Revelation, is God's Word to man... it is in those Words that we seek The Who of God! Once you begin to grasp what God has said about the Who, what, when, where, why and how of all things necessary to know Him...as this knowledge of His Word takes hold and faith installs in the heart and you are able to believe that God 'IS' and the immediate response to this is repentance for all of what one's self is comprised of (sin)…. from this emptiness of worth (of self) you will cry out to the God, that now you know exists, to save you from all that you are; To be something new and acceptable to God for His use to draw others to Himself....

Job 31:24-28 If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust, If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much; If I have looked at the sun when it shone or the moon going in splendor, And my heart became secretly enticed, And my hand threw a kiss from my mouth, That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above. Psalm 52:6-7 The righteous will see and fear, And will laugh at him, saying, "Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire." Proverbs 11:28 He who trusts in his riches will fall, But the righteous will flourish like the green leaf. Jeremiah 49:4 How boastful you are about the valleys! Your valley is flowing away, O backsliding daughter who trusts in her treasures, saying, 'Who will come against me?' Ezekiel 28:5 By your great wisdom, by your trade You have increased your riches And your heart is lifted up because of your riches Psalm 62:10 Do not trust in oppression and do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them. Proverbs 18:23 The poor man utters supplications, But the rich man answers roughly. Proverbs 28:11 The rich man is wise in his own eyes, But the poor who has understanding sees through him. Job 20:17-20 He does not look at the streams, The rivers flowing with honey and curds. He returns what he has attained And cannot swallow it; As to the riches of his trading, He cannot even enjoy them. For he has oppressed and forsaken the poor; He has seized a house which he has not built. Because he knew no quiet within him, He does not retain anything he desires. Proverbs 15:6 Great wealth is in the house of the righteous, But trouble is in the income of the wicked. Proverbs 30:8-9 Keep deception and lies far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; Feed me with the food that is my portion, That I not be full and deny You and say, "Who is the LORD?" Or that I not be in want and steal, And profane the name of my God. Deuteronomy 32:15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, they became heavy and sleek. They abandoned the God who made them and rejected the Rock their Savior. Nehemiah 9:25-26 They captured fortified cities and a fertile land They took possession of houses full of every good thing, Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, Fruit trees in abundance So they ate, were filled and grew fat, And reveled in Your great goodness. "But they became disobedient and rebelled against You, And cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets who had admonished them So that they might return to You, And they committed great blasphemies. Hosea 13:6 As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, And being satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me. Proverbs 23:4 Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, Cease from your consideration of it. Haggai 1:3-5 Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, "Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?" Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, "Consider your ways! Leviticus 19:13 You shall not oppress your neighbor, nor rob him. The wages of a hired man are not to remain with you all night until morning. Deuteronomy 24:12-15 If he is a poor man, you shall not sleep with his pledge. When the sun goes down you shall surely return the pledge to him, that he may sleep in his cloak and bless you; and it will be righteousness for you before the LORD your God. You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your countrymen or one of your aliens who is in your land in your towns. Proverbs 22:16 He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself or who gives to the rich, will only come to poverty. Isaiah 1:23 Your rulers are rebels And companions of thieves; Everyone loves a bribe And chases after rewards. They do not defend the orphan, Nor does the widow's plea come before them. Jeremiah 22:13 Woe to him who builds his house without righteousness And his upper rooms without justice, Who uses his neighbor's services without pay And does not give him his wages, Micah 6:12 For the rich men of the city are full of violence, Her residents speak lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth. Malachi 3:5 Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me," says the LORD of hosts. Job 31:24, 25, 28 If I have put my confidence in gold, And called fine gold my trust, If I have gloated because my wealth was great, And because my hand had secured so much; ... That too would have been an iniquity calling for judgment, For I would have denied God above. Psalm 52:7 Behold, the man who would not make God his refuge, But trusted in the abundance of his riches And was strong in his evil desire." Proverbs 18:11 A rich man’s wealth is his strong city, And like a high wall in his own imagination. * Matthew 4:9-10 and he said to Him, "All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only’”. Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Matthew 13:22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Matthew 19:21-22Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. Mark 4:19 but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Mark 10:21-22 Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. Luke 6:20 “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. 21 Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. 22 Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets. 24 “But woe to you who are rich, for you have already received your comfort. 25 Woe to you who are well fed now, for you will go hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep. 26 Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you, for that is how their ancestors treated the false prophets. Luke 8:14 The seed which fell among the thorns, these are the ones who have heard, and as they go on their way they are choked with worries and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to maturity. Luke 12:13-21 13 Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”14 Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” 15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” 16 And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17 He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ 18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’ 20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ 21 “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth Luke 16:19-21 Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores … 25 But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony Luke 18:22-23 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, "One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 1 Timothy 3:3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. 1 Timothy 6:8-9 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. James 2:6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? James 5:1 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. 2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. 3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. 4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. 5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. 6You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you.

I saw this on Facebook and thought we could do it here..... Why don't we, together, read one chapter of the book of Luke each night starting with chapter one tonight [or read in the mornings/afternoons - whenever you choose]. We would finish Christmas Eve and wake up Christmas morning with a present and deeper understanding of Who it is that December 25th is for. {I know, I know that's not his real birthday, but it's when we acknowledge it] How about it - we can discuss it or not. TODAY - DECEMBER 1 - Luke 1

You don't debate books? You are debating one now. Why not read Strobel? What have you got to lose? Evidence of a resurrection outside the Bible? Outside the Bible would be a historian, biographer [after the fact], or some such. But....how about the Roman historian Tacitus? Here he is explaining why Nero persecuted Christians. "Nero fastened the guilt ... on a class hated for their abominations, called Christians by the populace. Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of ... Pontius Pilatus, and a most mischievous superstition, thus checked for the moment, again broke out not only in Judaea, the first source of the evil, but even in Rome...." Tacitus Annals 15.44

Women should minister to women. The advice of Scripture should be sufficient with a lot of prayer. All should be done with great compassion. Advice should be given when it is sought after, but would probably be resented if offered otherwise. Marriage classes and retreats are some of the best places to discuss these things since people go there to learn.

Pheobe was a deaconess, which is the meaning of the word interpreted servant. Satan was the first to usurp authority when he rebelled against God seeking to take God's authority for himself. Pride is the root of rebellion. So become prideful and seeking take the authority God gave to others is to usurp authority. Humility does the task assigned to it and does it cheerfully as unto the Lord, whether to prophecy or to fill in doing tasks needed by circumstances. That is how we as women serve God. But that is also how men are to serve God. He opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.

My impression is that women are allowed to teach other women and children as well. Women are not to teach men as a matter of chain of command, not because then are any less than a man. Some women are excellent teachers. Pricilla and Aquila taught apparently as a team. Occasionally a woman is called by men to step up where there is no man to be a pastor, until a man can be found. The whole thing is explained as a part of the curse, the punishment of Eve after the fall. The Pulpit commentary covers it well. And thy desire shall be to thy husband. תְּשׁוּקָה, from שׁוּק to run, to have a vehement longing for a thing, may have the same meaning here as in Son 7:10(Dathe, Rosenmller, Delitzsch, Keil, Bohlen, Kalisch, Alford); but is better taken as expressive of deferential submissiveness, as in Gen 4:7 (Luther, Calvin, Le Clerc, Lunge, Macdonald, Speaker’s ’Commentary’.) Following the LXX. (ἀποστροφημ), Murphy explains it as meaning, "The determination of thy will shall be yielded to thy husband." According to the analogy of the two previous clauses, the precise import of this is expressed in the next, though by many it is regarded as a distinct item in the curse (Kalisch, Alford, Clarke, Wordsworth). And he shall rule over thee. Not merely a prophecy of woman’s subjection, but an investiture of man with supremacy over the woman; or rather a confirmation and perpetuation of that authority which had been assigned to the man at the creation. Woman had been given him as an helpmeet (Gen 2:18), and her relation to the man from the first was constituted one of dependence. It was the reversal of this Divinely-established order that had led to the fall (Gen 3:17). Henceforth, therefore, woman was to be relegated to, and fixed in, her proper sphere of subordination. On account of her subjection to man’s authority a wife is described as the possessed or subjected one of a lord (Gen 20:3; Deu 20:1-20:22), and a husband as the lord of a woman (Exo 21:3). Among the Hebrews the condition of the female sex was one of distinct subordination, though not of oppression, and certainly not of slavery, as it too often has been in heathen and Mohammedan countries. Christianity, while placing woman on the same platform with man as regards the blessings of the gospel (Gal 3:28), explicitly inculcates her subordination to the man in the relationship of marriage (Eph 5:22; Col 3:18; 1Pe 3:1) So I see the role of women as that of helpmeet in the church. We are not to usurp the role of leadership but help out as needed and where needed. Any pastor should respect the advice of the elders and prayerfully consider it. How much more should women do so since we were designed to help out or fill in as needed. It is a matter of humility and respect for the leadership.

Great article Steve. In Matt 24:28, here is a good explanation of "angels", not eagles, and "body" not carcass. "Rather than impose meaning on the parable one way or the other, however, let’s first look at what it truly says. As we have already seen, the primary misunderstood word is AETOI which means eagles (not vultures)! Now an eagle can be a carrion bird as well as a carnivore, but this passage isn’t talking about birds at all! There are five uses of this word AETOI in the New Testament; two occurrences are found in these illustrations while the final three usages refer to angels not birds (Rev. 4:7, Rev. 8:13, and Rev. 12:14). In the Old Testament, eagles are associated as a symbol of angels in Isa. 40: 31, Jer. 48:40, Jer. 4:13, Ezek. 1:10, and Ezek. 10:14; and for God himself in Exo. 19:4, Jer. 49:16, and Deut. 32:11. “Eagle” is a very common term for a heavenly being. Once it is understood that AETOI in this parable is most likely a symbol for angels, the meaning of Jesus’s short illustration begins to jump to life. Additionally, the word translated “gather” in Luke 17:37 is EPISUNAGO (“gather together upwards”), which is one of the great “Rapture-words” in the New Testament. This word is used in these other Rapture passages, where it is believers who are gathered together: In Matthew 22:28, the word translated “gather” is SUNAGO which also means “gather together.” (It is missing the prefix EPI which means “above” found in the Luke 17 version.) In both instances the words used by Jesus EPISUNAGO (“gather together upwards”) and SUNAGO (“gather together”), do not mean to simply “gather.” Rather they imply the process of gathering something together. Our English translations are a misapplication of the words. The way our English Bibles are translated, one would think the AETOI were gathering as in a flock. That is not the meaning. They are gathering different items together into a single group. Finally, the version of this illustration in Luke uses the Greek word for living body and the Matthew version uses the Greek word for dead body. Once the correct translations of the Greek words are understood, the crystal-clear meaning that Jesus had in mind for this illustration becomes apparent. Jesus’s angels will gather together the dead saints (Resurrection) and the living saints (Rapture) together upwards into the air to meet the Lord! This passage has absolutely nothing to do with Armageddon. The fact that both the Pre-Tribulation Rapture exponents and Post-Tribulation Rapture exponents misinterpret Matt. 24:30-31 as the physical Second Coming only intensifies the misunderstanding of the Illustration of the Vultures and the Body and a link between it and Armageddon. " Can you now see it is a “tongue in cheek” depiction of this Illustration of the “Vultures” and the Body as depicted in Matt. 24:27-28? The sign of the Son of Man (Lightning) will appear and Jesus will send his AETOI (Angels rather than Vultures!) to rapture the saints! The full article can be read here: http://www.thegospelintheendtimes.com/the-rapture/the-rapture-parable/

Funny, my ears may deceive me but it sure sounds like this applies to other people only, and not you. It's just not possible you could be violation of your own accusations. More than probable the Jewish tradition has nothing to do with the 2nd coming, the gathering, wrath, or the kingdom. You say others just don't get it, but you are adding tradition to holy writ, to wit: And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.- Lev 23:23-25 ‘On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. As an aroma pleasing to the Lord, offer a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. With the bull offer a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah a of the finest flour mixed with olive oil; with the ram, two-tenths and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. These are in addition to the monthly and daily burnt offerings with their grain offerings and drink offerings as specified. They are food offerings presented to the Lord, a pleasing aroma.- Num 29:1-6 There is no first and last trump for this. In fact this is it in scripture for this memorial. No first trump, no last trump specified. Enough cramming of tradition of men into the word of God. It doesn't matter if there was a Talmudic dictate to begin or end this day by some ritual or ceremony, it would have no relevance to end of the age prophecy. Listen to Paul: Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.- Colossians 2:8 It's comments like this that lead many of us to believe you just don't speak the truth. The end of the age was known to Joel, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Zechariah, John the baptist, and others, prior Matt 24, centuries before Matt 24. Our Father spoke of the end at the very beginning, "...he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”- Gen 3

You know, one of the things I like about this Carol, is that it features more than just the birth of Jesus, it focuses on Jesus much more fully than that. He is celebrated as a healer and worker of miracles, Lord of Creation, ruler of the nations, Mary's savior, and even as God Himself. Few Christmas carols, speak so boldly about who Jesus is!

Greetings to all in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Christ's second coming will not be a secret by any measure. It will be the most obvious event in the history of the world. First, let me say that there is only one future coming (parousia) of Christ, not two separated by seven years. It is His second, as testified by Paul in the book of Hebrews chapter 9 verse 28. Peter made it clear that Christ will remain in Heaven until the times of the restitution of all things at which point the Father will send Him to rescue us and begin to pour out His wrath upon the earth-dwellers. This coming takes place at some point in the second half of the seventieth week after the sun, moon, and stars go dark. Every eye will see Him and all kindreds shall react to His appearance Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. His coming (parousia) will be unmistakable. The glory of Christ and the holy angels will fill the sky. His arrival will be as unmistakable as a dead carcase is to carrion-eating birds. Mat 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Mat 24:28 For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. All the tribes will react to Christ's arrival in the clouds with power and great glory Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven to raise the dead and rapture His own to Him. 1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming (parousia) of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Christ will send His angels to gather (catch up) us to Him in the air Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. The appearance of Christ and the angels will be so terrifying that the earth dwellers of every class and station will attempt to hide themselves. Rev 6:15 And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; Rev 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? The saints that remain will be watching the sky for Him once the sun, moon, and stars go dark Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. The tribulation, for the saints, is over at that point but the world’s tribulation is just beginning 2Th 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 2Th 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 2Th 1:9 Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 2Th 1:10 When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Nothing about Christ's parousia (which includes the rapture) is secret. Glory be unto Jesus Christ

King Saul not only turned from God, he went into spiritualism and God said he would cut off the man who did this. Saul also committed suicide, he went to Hell just as Judas who committed suicide did. 1 Chronicles 10:4-5. 4, Then said Saul to his armourbearer, Draw thy sword, and thrust me through therewith; lest these uncircumcised come and abuse me. But his armourbearer would not; for he was sore afraid. So Saul took a sword, and fell upon it. 5, And when his armourbearer saw that Saul was dead, he fell likewise on the sword, and died. The Spirit of God LEFT SAUL WHEN HE SINNED (1 Sam. 16:12-23). Saul went into spiritualism and God said He would cut off the man who did this (Lev. 19:31; 20:6; Deut. 18:11).  Had he remained true to God and not went into spiritualism he would have gone to Abraham's bosom as many other Old Testament saints did until Christ's death and resurrection where He led captivity captive.

Sister , you better believe it . OH YES . WE know we are not better than or above our LORD . HOW he walked is pure and wonderous joy unto those who bythe SPIRIT do walk and obey . Sister . quite honestly it don't matter if all of ROME and the Vatican , all the protestants who are gathering under her and the world , marched against ya . I would be SHOUTING WITH JOY , THATS MY SISTER and I LOVE HER . THOSE WHO LOVE TRUTH , what a pure oil of peace does run amongst them . You loved sister .

One of my favorite hymns!

REVELATION.2:1-7 (NKJV) = The Loveless Church 1 “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, ‘These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands: 2 “I know your works, your labor, yourpatience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. 6 But this you have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ’ . Christians who have left their first love of hating sins/evil-works or fruit and have fallen need to repent, in order to remain forgiven by God and saved. Example, today we have false pastors/prophets/Christians "loving" and forgiving unrepentant homosexuals and adulterers in the Church, instead of counseling, warning and expelling them(1CORINTHIANS.5:1-13). .

If a person asks us for forgiveness we should grant it... Now that does not mean they will be forgiven by God.. They need to establish the right relationship with God through the Gospel to be forgiven by Him..

I always get pushback on this, no matter how carefully I word it. To be very clear, it's certainly not the changing of ways (I.E. works or anything done on our part) that brings salvation. But the feeling of brokenness that is necessary for true repentance is one that will, without a doubt, lead to works, I.E. the desire and effort to change. I bring it up because there is an epidemic of pastors and Christians who do not explain salvation well enough. For years I did not understand because Christians so easily say "just believe and repent!" It's so easy to then just say "well, okay, I believe God is real, and that all this is true, so I apologize for the wrong things I've done, now I'm saved!" without having experienced a true realization of one's state of hopeless sinfulness and a real change of heart. You're not just taking out an afterlife insurance policy so that you won't go to hell once you die after a life of sin. As you said "trust God and your ways will be changed," that's the point; real trust in God and repentance leads to the change...because the trust is something real and deep, not just "head knowledge" so to speak. I wonder how many thousands or million believe and know the truth in their heads, recite some little prayer as pastor tells them to, and then believe themselves saved when they haven't actually had any desire for transformation in their heart, and are still lost. After all, even the demons "believe." I hope that makes my beliefs clearer. Definitely not saying that works of any kind are needed for salvation.

For me forgiveness is hardest when the other person doesn't ask for it nor even admit they did something wrong. But I did learn how to do this. I have to focus on this what God wants and not the other person.

I like how the three women who explain the clothing line speak of individuality, when all they're trying to do is decimate that individuality and make every child a genderless, social justice footpad. Is denying a child a gender not denying a part of their individuality? Is denying them any non-neutral color not denying them creative and individual liberty? Let us all become without gender, wear naught but a black jumpsuit, shave our heads completely, and then proclaim just how unique and different from one another we are. Brilliant. I agree with Fox news in that I don't think it will catch on. Looking at the clothing line itself, the way it's presented, it looks like typical modern fashion garbage. You know, when a woman walks out wearing a lampshade on her head and a landline telephone across her torso and they call it "chic" and "artistic"? You never see people wearing those Elementary school projects. It's still a sign of changing attitudes though, the attitudes which have been changing for quite some time. It starts off with such failures of clothing lines, but there might soon be more... "practical" clothing they put out. Such a shame.

Hi Albin Just to add to the other comments: "When I survey the wondrous cross/ on which the Prince of Glory died / my richest gain I count but loss / and pour contempt on all my pride. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast / Save in the death of Christ, my God / All the vain things that charm me most /I sacrifice them to His blood. See, from His head, His hands, His feet / Sorrow and love flow mingled down / Did e'er such love and sorrow meet / Or thorns compose so rich a crown? Were the whole realm of nature mine / That were an offering far too small / Love so amazing, so divine / Demands my soul, my life my all." From the Redemption Songs.

Hi Albin, Yes it can be very difficult to believe that my sins, so dreadful can be forgiven. However God says it is by the blood of Jesus that we can come to Him. Nothing of ourselves, (just as well) but by the blood of Jesus. So stand on that truth and come to God knowing He has forgiven you. Marilyn.

The name Babylon is mentioned 294 times in the Bible and is often used metaphorically to refer to the chaos, confusion, and corruption of this world and the tyranny that peaks from time to time as a result of its antichrist influences. In this respect an in-depth study of ancient Babylon is well worth the effort for anyone desiring a greater revelation of its biblical typology. Bab·y·lon 1 (băb′ə-lən, -lŏn′) The capital of ancient Babylonia in Mesopotamia on the Euphrates River. Established as capital c. 1750 bc and rebuilt in regal splendor by Nebuchadnezzar II after its destruction (c. 689 bc) by the Assyrians, Babylon was the site of the Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Bab·y·lon 2 (băb′ə-lən, -lŏn′) n. 1. A city or place of great luxury, sensuality, and often vice and corruption. 2. A place of captivity or exile. American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

I don't know if I worded that very well or not. I didn't intend to demean social chatter at all, it certainly has its place and its value and is part of being human....just should not be loud and involving the whole group during a meeting while prayer and worship is going on. Apparently Paul was dealing with disruptions from women at that church at that time....though the principles remain at all times. Not sure what was going on with respect to asking questions...whether some of the women were challenging the men or just calling out questions in a disruptive manner. Times were different and sense of manners and propriety I think might not have been the same as our society at present...and these were mostly new believers who were in process of being taught. I could be wrong but I'm gathering that Paul in general was trying to establish the proper sense of orderliness and not interrupting or distracting from the proceedings.

May I add in addition to what Shiloh has said, it was the custom at that time for the women to be separated from the men, the women sat on one side and the men on the other, so, when the gift of teaching was anointed by the Holy Spirit 1 Jn 2:27 it would be very disruptive for a woman to interrupt God to ask her husband what was the meaning of what she had just heard. The same principle is in force today, when someone is enlightened by the Holy Spirit's teaching and cries out in agreement because they understand the Word more clearly.

Gal 3:23-29 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. NASB Paul's letters to the churches were usually due to serious problems within the church. Corinth had some serious problems within the church and Paul was giving orders on how to resolve their problems. Not every verse in the Bible is written to everyone.

Your list of 9 is similar to the Quenching Quartet of Control that dims the light of the Holy Spirit: Domination Intimidation Manipulation Seduction This is the Babylonian System to beware of whenever and wherever Christians assemble for fellowship, exhortation, and edification. Over-amplified sound is a sure sign that dominating spirits are manifesting.

Just another example of how when we disagree with God or think God needs our “ help” to carry out His Promises.....WE are always wrong.Abraham thought he would “ help God out” when he had relations with Hagar.......the entire world payed the price for that “ help”. The result of that tryst was Ishmael .....the father of all Arabs, not all but most have been a thorn in the side of the world and especially to Israel

To realize you are a sinner, worthy of eternal punishment, but that God so loved you that He had Jesus pay that price, take that punishment, on the cross, so that you don't have to pay it. This realization should build a deep sense of brokenness and gratitude in one's heart that leaves them no option but to admit their sins, beg forgiveness for them, and commit to changing their ways and following God to the utmost of their ability for the rest of their lives.

God Himself wanted to rule His chosen people .The Israelites wanted to be like everybody else and be ruled by a King.God gave them what they yearned for and the results were predictable.....not good.

Hi RH, 1Thes 4:17 is definitely the Rapture/Resurrection. No doubt about it. But it doesn't give us the timing. Not pretrib, midtrib, postrib, or prewrath. But there are a few scriptures that DO give us the timing. God does not appoint us to WRATH.....1 Thes 5:9....For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ" “ For the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand”…Rev 6:17 This verse states that on a specific “great day”, the wrath of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit will begin. Let’s pick it up in Rev 6:12-17: 12 I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and the whole moon became like blood; 13 and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind.14 The sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. 15 Then the kings of the earth and the great men and the [a]commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; 16 and they *said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the [b]presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Look at what it doesn’t say…..It doesn’t say that their wrath had already commenced. It does say that the GREAT DAY OF THEIR WRATH HAS COME Also, they were hiding in the caves and amongst the rocks and asking them to “Fall on us and Hide us” from the Face of Him who sits on the throne. No one asks to be hidden under rocks from something that started years earlier. This is a nonsense statement that no one would make. People only ask to be hidden from what they perceive to be a present danger and at its inception. The Wrath of God begins AFTER Jesus opens the sixth seal. This is indisputable based on Scripture! 2) EYE WITNESSES:…… 1) The inhabitants of the earth in Rev 6:17 testify as to the timing of the initiation of the Great and Terrible Day of the Lord’s Wrath, as shown above. 2) The martyrs under the altar……Rev 6:10 “ They cried out with a loud voice saying “ How long O Lord holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth” This right here precludes all five of the first seals from being God’s Wrath. 3) Joel 2:31…” The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood BEFORE the great and awesome day of the Lord comes” Matt 24:29…..” But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. 4) Matt 24:31….. “ And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other”

Hi RH, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age”……Matt 24:19-20 In this prophetic passage, Jesus is promising Christians that He will be with them until the end of the age. “Tell us, when will these thing occur and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?.....Matt 24:3 Jesus responds with two references: “you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end”…Matt 24:7 “ This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come”…..Matt 24:8 Jesus is very clear. He will be with us, the church, until the end. This clearly shows that Christians will be present in the Tribulation. “ The harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are angels. Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so it will be at the end of the age”….Matt 13:39-40 Jesus is clear that at the end of the age, the unrepentant will be burned with fire. This event occurs on the Day of the Lord with fire falling at the first trumpet judgment. Jesus promises to be with His Church until that time. Therefore His Church is present on the earth until the trumpet judgments begin. So what about…..” but of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone”….Matt 24:36 The end of the Tribulation period is believed by most to occur a set number of days (1260) after the Abomination of Desolation. After that horrible event, the end of the Tribulation will be a known day and thus cannot qualify for the Rapture which must be an unknown day. But Jesus tells us that for the sake of Christians, and only Christians, those days will be cut short, so they won’t be present the entire 1260 days: “Unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short”…..Matt 24:22 Most Christians mistranslate the verse in Matt 24:36 as saying…”no one knows the day or the hour” But the Bible actually states…”of that day” and hour no one knows” Linguistically, it must refer back to the last day that Jesus mentioned. It cannot refer to a pretribulation rapture under any circumstance. It must refer back to Matt 24:31, the last day that Jesus mentioned: “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other”…..Matt 24:30-31 Also….”Therefore, be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming”….Matt 24:42 “The Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will”….Matt 24:44 So, Matt 24:30-31 is not the physical Second Coming as pretrib believes, and it has nothing to do with the end of the Tribulation. IT IS THE PRE-WRATH RAPTURE, AND THAT IS WHY IT WILL OCCUR ON AN UNKNOWN DAY!

Saul was the peoples choice .

There's a whole lot there and I don't think I could perfectly unpack it all, but here are a few thoughts. 1. I think it's possible to believe you're saved and not be. I think too often a lot of churches (I grew up in Baptist churches and it's a problem there IMO) are focused on "alter calls," where the pastor preaches whatever message and then calls people to come forward and repent and ask for salvation. But unless it's a very thorough message on salvation, do these people really know what it means and entails? I said a prayer for forgiveness and salvation when I was a child, but I didn't really understand what it all meant. But I thought that was it; you recite the words and boom, you're saved. But I and a lot of people felt like that and so, as you might expect, there was little change in my heart and life. It wasn't until a few years ago that I heard really good teaching on salvation that struck me and turned me around. It's not just about reciting the right words. God knows your heart. He knows if you're truly penitent and are truly ready to make a change and follow Him and His will. A true salvation is one that will without exception create a noticeable inward and outward change in a person. That does not mean perfection, but I am curious about people who "walk away from the faith." Were they truly, truly saved in the first place? I know some will disagree with that and I would not be dogmatic about it, because I am not God and I cannot know people's hearts as He perfectly does. 2. About homosexuals, here is another area where there may be some disagreement. But after doing a lot of thinking and reading myself and purposefully seeking out teaching from well-respected pastors, I don't believe that homosexual urges, or desires or temptations or whatever word you might want to use, are sinful. We would not say that a man who is tempted towards adultery with a woman has sinned, or towards gluttony or whatever else, if he does not ultimately act on that temptation (be it in real life or in his heart/mind, which is of course possible as Jesus taught). If a man is attracted to another man but does not lust after him or physically act upon it, if he rejects those urges because he knows they are wrong and he wishes to do right in God's eyes, I cannot find any justification in scripture to condemn him as having sinned simply for being tempted in that way.

Welcome, Thecross. The purpose of fasting is to humble ourselves to be able to say "not my will but thine be done". We can't twist God's arm. We do draw near to God by humbling ourselves before Him.

- The Protestants, Re-Form-Mation of Catholic church Doctrine. When the foundation is wrong what good is reforming on a wrong foundation? You still have the same foundation. Scripture alone? Does God Not Speak? Does His Spirit Of Truth Not Lead Into All Truth (whole truth)? Is everything written in the bible the inspirited Infallible Inerrant Word Of God? Was Jesus born on Dec.25? Is Jesus The Passover lamb? If Protestants are not Catholics why do they celebrate said holy days of dead Catholic Saints who had no part with them? If Protestants were actual Reformers there'd be no more Catholic church. Protestants are not Reformers they have reformed nothing. Protestants are Pretenders tied up with the apron strings of their Mother Church.